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Thursday, January 31, 2013

The traveling card

Hello, hello to everyone!

I am back to share the traveling thank you card, finally.  This is the card that is accompanying my brother-in-law to Haiti for my husband's Aunt Katie to say thank you for the adorable gift and gorgeous card she sent to welcome the newest addition to our family.  She is a doctor who is building a hospital in Haiti and my brother-in-law is also a doctor and will be traveling there soon to help out.  Hard, but rewarding work I think.

This one took me a bit longer than normal as I have been practicing with my Copics.  I think it came out decently for a beginner with an extremely limited supply of colors (I think I have 16 so far LOL!).  Except for one area in particular that I ended up making worse instead of better, I was happy with it.  I used the sketch for Whimsie Doodles January challenge.  

I hope you enjoy!

Challenges:
Whimsie Doodles - sketch challenge
Tuesday Alchemy - anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges - girls, girls, girls
Through the Craftroom Door - anything goes




































And the close-up:



































Thanks so much for looking!

Size:  5 x 7
Papers:  basic card stock, DCWV
Image:  Boo with teddy bear from Bugaboo Stamps
Dies:  Classic scallop circles from Spellbinders 
Stamps:  Perfectly Penned
Ink:  Victorian Velvet distress ink
Embellishments:  Ribbon flower from my stash 


- Jenn

Monday, January 28, 2013

First Valentine's card

Happy Monday to everyone- hope the day is going great for you all!  A special thank you to Cheryl for following me!

I jumped ahead of three cards that I really need to get made to make my first Valentine's card.  This  is for my brother-in-law and his beautiful family.  I have to get it in the mail along with a thank you card that is next on the list as the thank you card is traveling all the way to Haiti, courtesy of my brother-in-law who has graciously agreed to take it with him to it's recipient.  I'm so excited!  At least my cards get to travel even if I don't, ha!

I'm entering this card into the three challenges below.  I came across a challenge that looks like a lot of fun!  Shopping Our Stash Weekly.  Since we have to post how old our ribbon is, I'll share what struck me as funny.  The blue ribbon tied on the button is likely about two years old.  It originally came from my daughter's Webkinz tag.  The button that it is tied to fell off our Christmas tree skirt a few years ago.  Yes... I think I save just about anything lol.  You just never know when things will come in handy.

Challenges:
Case Study - kraft and red paper
Shopping Our Stash Weekly - use oldest ribbon
The Paper Players - sketch challenge #130






































And the close-up.

Size:  6 x 6
Papers:  basic card stock, The Paper Studio vellum
Ribbon:  burlap by The Paper Studio, blue from my stash
Image:  from Free Vintage Digital Stamps
Dies:  heart circles from Spellbinders 
Embellishments:  button from my stash

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Anniversary card

Hi all!

Happy Thursday to everyone and many thanks to Jennifer for following me! 

Yesterday I played around with an anniversary card for my sister-in-law and her husband.  They are celebrating their first and I found through Google that gold is the color for a first anniversary.  I was wanting to create a card with dimension so I gave it a go.

I started with layers but that didn't seem to do the trick completely so I used the end of a small paint brush to curl the edges of the ovals up.  For the sentiment panel I used foam adhesive to pop it up a bit and curled the corners down.

After it was all put together, my sneaky toddler decided to add her touch to it (literally) and left a nice black fingerprint on the sentiment panel.  Hopefully nobody will ever get the urge to look under the lace ribbon lol.  The edge of the big oval, corners of the sentiment panel and lace ribbon were all sponged with distress ink.  The sentiment was heat embossed.  And the "image" was die cut from toile printed paper.


Challenges:
Dream Valley Challenge (girls, girls, girls)
Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog (show us yer frillies)
Simon Says Stamp (what are you known for)- I love the dies and distress inks!
Tammy's Scrapin Corner (red or hearts) 
Kaboodle Doodles Challenge (ribbon)
Stampin' for the Weekend (something girly)
7 Kids College Fund (something new and something old)- new rhinestones, old paper
Forever Friends (favorite embellishment)- I love my lace ribbon and am really liking the new rhinestones!
Wags 'n Whiskers (celebration) 







Different angle.





Close up.



Thanks so much for looking and have a great day!

Size:  5 x 7
Papers:  background is from Core-dinations, all the rest is Paper Studio
Ribbon:  Stampin' Up!
Stamp:  Stampabilities
Ink:  Victorian Velvet and Tea Dye distress inks, Versamark and Zing! gold embossing powder for sentiment
Dies:  Floral Ovals and Romantic Rectangles (Spellbinders), Nautical Wheeler (Cheery Lynn)


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Another male birthday card

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I have made another male birthday card.  These are proving to be a bit more challenging for me.  I don't have a very masculine die so I'll have to look around to see what other dies I can add to my "have to have" list LOL!  So addicted... but that's another story.

Challenges submitted to:


I tried two techniques that I found I really liked the look of while perusing cards for inspiration online.  The first is the watercolor background- blue fading into green.  The second, a double layer stamp.  I stamped the first layer in Vintage Photo distress ink, then stamped another layer with Versamark and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder.

Size:  5 x 7
Papers:  Core-dinations, scrap box
Ink:  Vintage Photo distress ink, Versamark
Misc:  Zing! silver embossing powder
Dies:  Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles 
Stamps:  Serene silhouettes, Inkadoo sentiment

Thanks so much for looking!

- Jenn

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Male Birthday Card

So I've decided to start joining some challenges.  I've been playing with the Deconstructed Sketches for a few months now and have had fun with them but this will be the first time I'm actually submitting one.  I submitted last week's sketch, #83 (the thank you card in my first blog post) but it was submitted late; I was just playing around to see how to submit a link.  We shall see.  There are so many gorgeous cards, hopefully I can contribute to that.

This card I made for my father-in-law's birthday coming up later this month.  It's a bit different than my norm, following along the lines of the last card I posted, but I had a lot of fun with it.  The image cracks me up.  I mean why ride a bike if you're walking anyway?

Nothing much to this card, just found some papers in my scrap box, distressed some of the edges with my handy-dandy steak knife from the kitchen and did a little random sponged distressing with ink, stamped the sentiment,  tore the edges of the image and the stamp papers, and added a double layer of the inside of my Nautical Wheeler doily die- bottom layer in blue to add just a bit of color and a sponged white one on top so the blue wasn't too overwhelming.  Threw it all together and done and done and done.  Now why did it take so long?  lol

Deconstructed Sketch #84



 And a close up.


Size:  5 x 7
Papers:  from the scrap box
Die:  Cheery Lynn Nautical Wheeler Doily
Ink:  Tea Dye Distress Ink, Memento black ink

Thanks for visiting!


Sunday, January 13, 2013

Surprises

It never ceases to surprise me how fast time goes by!  Just wanted to pop in quickly and share a card I started two days ago.  It was never intended to turn out like this.  I was surprised but pleased with it as I love the vintage, distressed look.  It is a congrats card for one of my girlfriends who just finished school.  Such a huge accomplishment for her.  She is always such a ball of energy and has inspired me in so many ways.  I hope she likes it!

Size:  5 x 7
Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, For The Birds
Ink:  Vintage Photo
Dies:  Labels One and Spiral Blossoms One (Spellbinders), Nautical Wheeler (Cheery Lynn)
Paper:  Core-dinations, stash

I apologize for the lighting- the frame is actually the same color as the rose.


These dies are so addictive.  There's so many I want, but this card really made me realize how badly I "need" a leaf die!

Thanks so much for looking and hope you enjoy the last bit of your weekend!

Friday, January 11, 2013

So many firsts!

So, this is my first blog.  I mainly started this so I could keep a library of my cards rather than bombard the few Facebook friends I have (who probably are not very interested anyway) with the pictures of them.  Maybe for some mental relaxation as well?  Who knows.

I have what seems to be a ton of cards to be made in the next week.  My goal right now is to complete one card a day.  We'll see if I can hold up to that!  I think if I can at least get one started each day I'll be happy.

The first card I am posting was based on the Deconstructing Sketch from last week, #83, minus the bow because I haven't had the time to look at tutorials to figure them out... that and I haven't yet started my twine/ribbon/string collection lol.

This card is for my husband's aunt Jan to say thank you for the beautiful card and wonderful gift she sent to welcome our newest addition to the family.

Size:  5 x 7
Digi stamp:  'sitting pretty Boo' from Bugaboo Stamps
Stamp:  Perfectly Penned
Ink:  Victorian Velvet distress ink
Dies:  Classic Scalloped Circles and Classic Scallop Edgeabilities (Spellbinders)
Papers:  DCWV.

I'm new to the world of blending and this was my first experience with Copics.  Any suggestions or recommended tutorials are welcome!


I received the Nautical Wheeler Doily from Cheery Lynn Designs today.  It is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to use it!  I am thinking the Deconstructing Sketch #78 for a birthday card for my father-in-law.  Will have to get the wheels turning (ha!).

With that, many thanks to anyone who is looking!  Best wishes for a wonderful year ahead!

- Jenn